The project issues
Kirklees Metropolitan Council (KMC) were entering a period of decision making around various aspects of Voice, Data and Mobile communications and were keen to understand the market, the technology, and to evaluate how their current solutions compared with other solutions available in the market. They were also concerned that they were not achieving best value in their network procurement and were interested in identifying areas of cost saving and cost efficiencies.

To this end, KMC requested Socitm Consulting to complete the following tasks:

• Evaluate KMC’s Voice, Data and Mobile networks compared to the best available solutions available in the market
• Identify ways in which KMC could improve their procurement processes to achieve best long term value in network procurement
• Seek cost savings that can be accessed in the short, medium and long terms
• Advise on new technologies and solutions available in the market that could be of benefit to KMC

The Socitm Consulting solution
Socitm Consulting began by gathering full background data on KMC’s existing infrastructure and solutions. Based on this data, we then completed an exhaustive analysis of the networks deployed, usage of these networks and the commercial and contractual elements under-pinning them. We then used this analysis to feed into an assessment of the suitability of each part of the network, ways in which it could be optimised, focusing throughout on ways in which savings could be made.

The output of this process was an initial report which:

• Laid out the detail of KMC’s networking environment
• Outlined the key cost elements within this environment
• Identified areas that could be improved in terms of solution and procurement process
• Presented a range of cost saving options covering short, medium and long term outcomes

Using this initial report as a jumping-off point, we then held a workshop with key personnel from KMC to discuss our preliminary findings and to understand more about the changes ongoing within the organisation. We then used this feedback to prepare a final report capturing our findings and the detail of how these findings and recommendations could benefit KMC.

The benefits to the client
The client reported in the Client Assessment Form that: “Overall the Intech management team at Kirklees were pleased with the findings of the report. The potential savings identified by this consultancy work will help us in our move towards an integrated communications network.”

Project identification
Client organisation: Kirklees Metropolitan Council
Client contact: Ron Smith, Infrastructure Manager, 01484 226205, Ron.Smith@kirklees.gov.uk
Lead consultant: john.waterhouse@socitm.gov.uk
Project no: 5854